8 Ways To Approach Tattoos On Your Wedding Day

In recent years, tattoos have risen in popularity around the world, as artists with different, unique styles and techniques continue to expand the boundaries of body art. Tattoos are a beautiful, unique, and lifelong way to express your individuality, commemorate significant life events, or simply to show appreciation for a certain tattoo artist. But while many brides and grooms are comfortable displaying their gorgeous ink on their wedding day, some might have reservations. Here are some ways to approach your tattoos on your wedding day, whether you’re looking to show them off or keep them under wraps.

If you're looking to play them up:

Reference your tats in your decor If your tattoos have a distinct theme, consider incorporating a bit of that aesthetic into your wedding’s decor. For instance, if you have tattoos that follow a traditional, nautical theme, you can choose blue and white linens for your reception tables, or use on-theme items — like green-tinted bottles or miniature sailboats — for your table centrepieces. If your tattoos follow a more modern black line work-focused style, you can have your wedding invitations, programs, and table markers reflect the style of any fonts or imagery you have tattooed on your body. Consider asking your tattoo artist to contribute to your designs and decor, too! 

Get guests in on it There are plenty of companies that create custom temporary tattoos, and these could be fun, memorable, unique wedding favours to hand out to your guests — especially if they reference tattoos you and/or your partner have! Consider passing out your custom temporary tats earlier in the evening — before cocktails, for instance — so guests can choose to apply them during the evening’s festivities. Your wedding photos will be all the better for it!

Play with your accessories A great way to play up your tattoos is to match any colours, themes, or imagery from your body art in your accessories. Choose earrings, a necklace or a necktie and cravat that match your tats’ bold colours.

Roll up your sleeves For men, or those who are opting for a suit or other separates for their wedding, it may be the case that shirtsleeves or a jacket cover your tattoos. For your photos, consider removing your jacket, or cuffing or rolling your sleeves, to show off your ink!

If you’re looking to tone them down:

Cover up The most obvious — and simplest — way to disguise your tattoos on your wedding day is to choose a dress or outfit that covers them. If you’re wearing a gown, long sleeves — or three-quarter-length ones, if your tattoos don’t extend to your forearms — can be a stylish way to keep your tattoos under wraps, as can a dress with a stunning, unconventional high neckline. Plus, you can offset a more conservative bodice with a shorter or cocktail-length hemline. 

Bundle up If you don’t mind having your tattoos on display but would also like the option to either fully or partially cover them up for some of your photos, a stunning jacket, wrap, or lace cover-up may be a great choice. 

Cover up 2.0 If your tattoos are minimal, and if they don’t come into direct contact with your gown, talk to your makeup artist about options for covering them up with makeup or concealer. Many makeup artists have specific products that are formulated for covering tattoo ink; ask your artist if this is an option — and be sure to do so in advance, as covering up your tattoos will add to the amount of time your makeup artist spends getting you ready for your big day. 

Touch-up If your primary concern is having visible tattoos in your wedding photos, and if your tattoos are relatively small, ask your wedding photographer if they are able to edit tattoos out of the final images, or if they can recommend someone who can. Be prepared to pay a little extra for this service!